Broody RP turkey hen ... QUESTION!!!

[angsaidso]

Hi all ...

My RP turkey hen went broody about three weeks ago ... she is sitting on some of her own eggs and then some random chicken eggs that were laid in her coop when she wasn't looking. Obviously, the chicks will hatch before her own babies. Should I remove the chicks when/if they hatch (if I can get to them without her beating the snot out of me)? They are due to hatch either Wed or Thursday this week.

Also, since she went broody seems that same chicken has been crawling in with her and laying even MORE eggs!!! So now the eggs in there are mixed not only by breed but by dates!!

If these were YOUR crazy birds, what would you do? I hate the thoughts of throwing away good eggs, however I am sure she will NOT let me near them unless I dress in full S.W.A.T. gear and go armed with a tazer (LOL).

Ang

 

[DeannaOR]

LOL @ the tazer idea! My RP hen also just started sitting on her eggs and one of my chickens has been doing it in the same nest as well. I had been removing the chicken eggs until the turkey decided to sit. Now I'm a little nervous to put my hand in there. She does get off to eat and drink, so hopefully I can look while she is doing that.

 

[angsaidso]

I am PERTRIFIED to even THINK of reaching in there!! That bird turns into BIRDZILLA when I get anywhere near there. She doesn't come off to eat very much at all and Now the dilemma is even worse since my original post ... the chicken (whicvh I have now removed) was STILL laying eggs in there and now there's a whole PILE of eggs under that poor turkey ... and she pulls every egg under her ... now there's all different levels of incubation going on under her!!! I will wait to see if any eggs hatch (the chicks are due to start tomorrow), then it will be a week for the turkeys. After that, I will HAVE to get her off the nest somehow and remove the rest of the eggs. I cannot imagine how many there must be but it has to be close to 14 eggs under there! With any luck, I can figure out an approximate hatch date on the eggs I take away by candling and put them in the incubator if they're any good. I tell ya, this has been quite the situation! And the poor turkey looks at me like, "Yeah? You THINK you're coming here? BRING IT ON!!!" She hisses and makes some sort of growling noise. There's no WAY I'm tangling with that until I know if the turkey eggs are good.

 

[DeannaOR]

Well...mine isn't budging now either! She also hisses and she pecked me. It HURT! I used a flashlight to sort of push her a little..thinking she couldn't get my hand.....I was wrong. Sooooo she can have all the eggs.
I'm so excited though...the babies should be due a couple days before my birthday. Pretty nifty gift if all works out.

 

[angsaidso]

I tried a theory yesterday morning and it worked!!!! I stood by the coop and "peeped" ... that little peeep peeep peeep noise ... more like a whistle than a peep ... it took practice but I sound just like my chicks ... but anyway .... peeping at her made her stand up and check the eggs so I could at least see under ... she has I would bet 15 eggs under her!!!! OMGosh!!! Poor bird! :-( But anyway, I still have not thought of a way to get those chicken eggs out. And then wondered if it would cause her to come off the nest. And then wondered how many stitches I would need. and then wondered if the chicks could be scooped up afterward ... IF they even hatch at this point. Boy, this was a tough lesson learned!!! :-/

 

[DeannaOR]

I tried a theory yesterday morning and it worked!!!! I stood by the coop and "peeped" ... that little peeep peeep peeep noise ... more like a whistle than a peep ... it took practice but I sound just like my chicks ... but anyway .... peeping at her made her stand up and check the eggs so I could at least see under ... she has I would bet 15 eggs under her!!!! OMGosh!!! Poor bird! :-( But anyway, I still have not thought of a way to get those chicken eggs out. And then wondered if it would cause her to come off the nest. And then wondered how many stitches I would need. and then wondered if the chicks could be scooped up afterward ... IF they even hatch at this point. Boy, this was a tough lesson learned!!! :-/

LOL! I'm not even wondering at this point...I'm pretty sure it would be a minimum of 5 stitches. I am just letting nature do what nature does. I'll buy eggs from the neighbor!
I'm trying to get my hens to lay eggs in the nesting boxes by putting fake eggs in there..but so far, no luck. What makes me so mad is that the turkey hen will allow the chickens in there to lay eggs...but won't let me near the nest at all.

 

[angsaidso]

RIGHT!!! My turkey lets the chickens wander literally over the top of her ... including the roosters! Yet she wants to eat me alive!!

 

[DeannaOR]

So I got brave tonight and was able to get 5 chicken eggs out from under her. I got pecked, and it smarted! I wasn't able to count how many she has under her now though and there may be more chicken eggs..don't know. Now my question is...can I eat the eggs? How long can chicken eggs sit in the nest after being laid..and still be edible?

 

[angsaidso]

Well, I had two turkeys hatch before my girl managed to break an egg under her and ruin the entire hatch. She came off the nest while I was at work and all of the eggs (including six more turkeys) were ruined with dead chicks from cooling down before I got home. I wish I had been here when she came off. I might have had a chance to pull a few and get them to the incubator in time. At least I got two.

As for eating, I wouldn't even attempt to eat them if she has been sitting them. I am sure there is no time limit to when you can eat them. Indians used to eat the eggs with the chicks inside right up until hatching and seems to me I remember watching some show at some point where eating half developed chicks is a delicacy. EEwwww!!

I know it takes between eight and ten days to see the chick via candling. I guess if you're comfortable eating them prior to that, I don't see why not. I guess I just wouldn't be able to once they've been sat on. Just my thing I guess.

 

[DeannaOR]

Well, I had two turkeys hatch before my girl managed to break an egg under her and ruin the entire hatch. She came off the nest while I was at work and all of the eggs (including six more turkeys) were ruined with dead chicks from cooling down before I got home. I wish I had been here when she came off. I might have had a chance to pull a few and get them to the incubator in time. At least I got two.

As for eating, I wouldn't even attempt to eat them if she has been sitting them. I am sure there is no time limit to when you can eat them. Indians used to eat the eggs with the chicks inside right up until hatching and seems to me I remember watching some show at some point where eating half developed chicks is a delicacy. EEwwww!!

I know it takes between eight and ten days to see the chick via candling. I guess if you're comfortable eating them prior to that, I don't see why not. I guess I just wouldn't be able to once they've been sat on. Just my thing I guess.

Two special little turkeys. Sorry about the rest of the hatch

Is she taking good care of the two?


These are unfertile chicken eggs that the turkey hen pulls under her after the chickens lay them. Even though I know they are not fertile...I won't be able to eat them now with your above description! lol.

I found one more chicken egg last night and was able to count the turkey eggs...there are 15. If I went just from the date the turkey started sitting on them, they should be due the 11th of June..but the chicken was sitting on them some before the turkey, and she has laid 3 since she started sitting, so I really don't know what to expect. I bought an incubator this past weekend, I have no experience with one though. I guess maybe a couple days before I could plug it in just in case.

This is Vera, my Partridge Rock hen laying an egg in the turkeys dog house. She made a lil corner nest up there. After she leaves Dot (the turkey hen) pulls the egg under her.